CAVES International Astronaut Training in Italy | European Space Agency
From left to right: European Space Agency astronaut Rosemary Coogan, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Ayu Yoneda, NASA astronaut candidate Ben Bailey and John McFall, member of the European Space Agency’s astronaut reserve and the Fly! project
The third day of exploration and documentation in Abel Cave, chosen for the ESA CAVES 2026 course, came to a close with a dinner for the team.
JAXA astronaut Ayu Yoneda, NASA astronaut candidate Ben Bailey and John McFall, member of ESA’s astronaut reserve and the Fly! project, are checking the telephone cable to be laid along the tunnels of Abel Cave.
A view of the underground base camp hosting the ESA CAVES 2026 crew for four days and three nights.
Under the supervision of scientist Ettore Lopo, astronauts Tracy Dyson (NASA), Rosemary Coogan (ESA) and Ayu Yoneda (JAXA) are practising how to carry out the cave microbiological monitoring experiment that forms part of the scientific program for the ESA CAVES 2026 course.
JAXA astronaut Ayu Yoneda and ESA astronaut Rosemay Coogan are making their way through a partially flooded section a cave.
Having reached the end of the horizontal traverse, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson carries out her final rope maneuvers before making her way towards the exit of Abel Cave as part of the ESA CAVES 2026 course.
From left to right: European Space Agency astronaut Rosemary Coogan, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Ayu Yoneda, NASA astronaut candidate Ben Bailey and John McFall, member of the European Space Agency’s astronaut reserve and the Fly! project
In June 2026, during two intense weeks of international astronaut training in Italy, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Astronaut Ayu Yoneda served as commander of a group made up of NASA and European Space Agency astronauts. Deep below the Apennine Mountains, caves became their training laboratory. In this video, Yoneda talks about the importance of clear information sharing and consideration for teammates, and how the team's bond deepened by spending time together while exploring caves.
Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behavior and performance Skills (CAVES) teaches astronauts to explore underground systems as a team. They journey deep underground to perform scientific experiments, map the environment, as well as chart and document their activities.
Together, participants must adapt to living and working in the unique cave environment to meet scientific and exploration objectives. Constant attention to safety rules, procedures and equipment is critical to the successful completion of the mission.
The course is run by the European Space Agency to simulate spaceflight. Rookies and astronauts who have flown to space participate in the course together and share experiences.
Trainees had to adapt to an underground environment sharing many analogies with a space mission—isolation, confinement, and limited supplies.
Five explorers from three space agencies have successfully completed ESA’s CAVES 2026 training: ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan, John McFall, member of ESA’s astronaut reserve and the Fly! project, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, NASA astronaut candidate Ben Bailey, and JAXA astronaut Ayu Yoneda.
Image Credit: ESA-V. Crobu
Dates: June 20-29, 2026
#NASA #ESA #JAXA #Space #Science #Astronauts #AstronautTraining #SkillsTraining #SafetyTraining #Teamwork #CAVES #SpaceflightSimulations #Italy #Italia #Europe #Japan #日本 #AyuYoneda #米田あゆ #CAVESCommanders #TracyDyson #BenBailey #RosemaryCoogan #JohnMcFall #UK #UnitedStates #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education
No comments:
Post a Comment